Helping Winter Stressed Houseplants

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

As the days shorten and gray, our indoor gardens may be suffering. A move to a new location may be the solution.

Moving plants to an unobstructed south-facing window in the winter, is often enough to give them the sunlight boost they need.

Next, help your plants deal with the dry air indoors. As we turn up the thermostat the humidity in our house lowers and our plants suffer. Group plants together or place on gravel trays to increase the humidity around your plants. As one plant loses moisture from its leaves, or transpires, the others benefit from this added moisture. And as the water evaporates from the gravel tray it increases the humidity around the plants.

Adjust your watering schedule to compensate for the reduced light and changes in room temperature and humidity. Only fertilize actively growing plants that need a nutrient boost.

A bit more information: If your plants continue to struggle, consider adding artificial lights to the natural sunlight your plants receive. For more information on artificial lights click here.

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